Today, Every Land Is Mission Territory, Says Pope... from ZENIT of Roswell, Georgia, United States for Friday, 7 October 2016

Today, Every Land Is Mission Territory, Says Pope... from ZENIT of Roswell, Georgia, United States for Friday, 7 October 2016
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Today, Every Land Is Mission Territory, Says Pope by Kathleen Naab

Today, Pope Francis says, every land is a missionary land and every dimension of the human person needs to be preached the Gospel.
The Pope said this today when he received in audience participants in the General Chapter of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
In his address, which drew heavily from the example of the Oblates’ founder, Saint Eugene de Mazenod, the Holy Father noted the 200th anniversary of the order, coinciding with the Jubilee of Mercy.
“May mercy be always the heart of your mission, of your evangelizing commitment in the world of today,” the Pope told them.
He then noted a description of the founder made by John Paul II on the day of Father Mazenod’s canonization. John Paul called the saint a “‘man of Advent,’ docile to the Holy Spirit in reading the signs of the times and seconding God’s work in the history of the Church.”
“May these characteristics be present in you, his sons,” Francis encouraged the Oblates. “You must also be ‘men of Advent,’ capable of gathering the signs of new times and guiding brothers on the paths that God opens in the Church and in the world.”
This world, together with the Church, the Argentinean Pontiff continued, is “living a time of great transformations.”
“It is important to work for a Church that is for all; a Church that is ready to receive and accompany!” the Pope said, reiterating one of the most common themes of his pontificate.
There is a vast amount of work to do in order to bring this about, he acknowledged, “and you also have your specific contribution to make.”
In this context, Francis noted the Oblates’ history of reaching “distant lands where there were still ‘sheep without a shepherd.’”
“Today,” he said, “every land is ‘mission land,’ every dimension of the human is mission land, which awaits the proclamation of the Gospel.”
“Pope Pius XI defined you ‘the specialists of difficult missions.’ Today the mission field seems to widen every day, always embracing new poor, men and women of the face of Christ who ask for help, consolation, hope in the most desperate situations of life. Therefore, there is need of you, of your missionary daring, of your readiness to take to all the Good News that frees and consoles.”
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On ZENIT’s Web page:
Full text: https://zenit.org/articles/popes-address-to-missionary-oblates-of-mary-immaculate/
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Pope Entrusts Haiti to Our Lady of Perpetual Help by ZENIT Staff

The Pope’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has sent a telegram on behalf of the Holy Father to Cardinal Chibly Langlois, president of the Episcopal Conference of Haiti, in which he expresses the Pope’s sorrow upon learning of the devastation wrought in the island by the passage of Hurricane Matthew, which has claimed many lives and caused considerable damage.
The number of those killed by the hurricane in Haiti is still uncertain as services are down and some communities are hard to reach, but there are already reports of well over 400 people dead. Haiti has yet to recover from the devastating earthquake of 2010.
“His Holiness Pope Francis wishes to express his sorrow and to join in prayer in the suffering of all those who have lost loved ones,” the telegram reads. “He conveys to them his sincerest condolences and assures them of his deep sympathy in these painful circumstances. He entrusts the departed to the mercy of God, that He welcome them in His light. He assures them of his spiritual closeness and his affection for the injured, and for all those who have lost their homes and possessions in the disaster. Welcoming and encouraging solidarity in this new hardship the country must face, the Holy Father entrusts all Haitians to the maternal protection of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and imparts to them, as a sign of consolation and hope, a special apostolic blessing.”
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Sistine Chapel Choir Releases Another CD by ZENIT Staff

“Palestrina. Missa Papæ Marcelli – Motets,” a CD of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir released today, expresses something Pope Francis has called for repeatedly: That the Church be an “outbound” Church, seeking to bring the Good News to the world around us.
This reflection was offered by Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the Papal Household, in presenting the CD today in the Vatican press office.
The CD is a monographic work on Pierluigi de Palestrina edited by Deusche Grammophon. The panel presenting the work was composed of Archbishop Gänswein and Msgr. Massimo Palombella, director of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir; Dickon Stainer, president and chief executive officer of Global Classics Universal Music Group International; Clemens Trautmann, president of Deustche Grammophon; and Mirko Gratton, director of the Classical Music Department of the Universal Group.
Archbishop Gänswein explained that it was not by chance that the second CD by the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir contained the famous Missa Papæ Marcelli and several motets on the theme of mercy, selected to emphasise also musically the extraordinary Jubilee convened by the Holy Father. “Last year, on the occasion of the presentation of the first CD of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel, the principal intention was to promote awareness of the centuries-long history of this ancient institution of the Holy See, its artistic, cultural and above all spiritual function, and its special bond with the Pope. .. Listening to this CD and reading the accompanying booklet, one is immediately aware not only of the spiritual reasons for such refined and sublime music, but also of the great commitment by the director and the singers of the choir in perceiving and rendering the original inspiration. With this Mass, the prince of Roman polyphony has successfully sought to respond to what the Council of Trent asked of liturgical music: that is, the intelligibility of the text united with the quality of the music.”
“This challenge remains pertinent today,” he continued, “and sees the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir engaged in positioning liturgical relevance the great musical heritage of the Church, intelligently acknowledging scientific studies on ancient music and experimenting new ways of implementing and proposing great music in the context of the liturgical reform of Vatican Council II. In this way, the aims of this CD, which is presented as a cultural operation, go far beyond in their endeavour to contribute to communicating the essence of the Catholic Church’s mission, which is to evangelise, that is, to announce the good news also through beauty, the way to God, and to invite the search for good, the querere Deum which is inherent in art and in religious music. This is intended to express that outbound Church of which Pope Francis speaks, a Church that is not afraid to speak the language of man and his needs, of which music is a high and universal expression.”
The maestro and director of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel, Msgr. Massimo Palombella, highlighted that the “almost mythological” Missa Papæ Marcelli is Palestrina’s first work for six voices and the only composition explicitly dedicated to a pope. Furthermore, it is attributed “the merit of having saved polyphony, ensuring that ‘intelligibility of the text’ requested of polyphonic music by the Council of Trent.
“The possibility, more unique than rare, of recording in the Sistine Chapel, is an added value in the search for aesthetic pertinence,” he remarked. “Indeed, by taking this approach, the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir has for some time now been revisiting a certain way of singing intended to produce strong and powerful ‘basilica sounds’. This happened for the simple fact that in the time of Palestrina, the Pope’s celebrations did not take place in St. Peter’s Basilica, but rather in the Sistine Chapel, and also because the current St. Peter’s Basilica did not exist, as it was in construction. Singing in the Sistine Chapel necessarily demanded the search for a more intimately perceived sonority. The great emotionality of a mass of sound, of singing voices filling the vaults of a basilica with sound, is replaced by the refined perception of the text, from the emotional and expressive rendering of the word through sound, from the dialectical relations that emerge from the contrapuntal language understood as an intellectual component moved by the emotions.”
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To buy CD at Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Palestrina-Missa-Papae-Marcellii-Motets/dp/B01I4CK5ZU/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475854224&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Sistine+Chapel%2C+Palestrina.+Missa+Papæ+Marcelli+–+Motets
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Pope’s Address to Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate by ZENIT Staff

Pope Francis today received in audience the participants in the General Chapter of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
Here is a ZENIT translation of the Pope’s address :
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Dear Brothers,
It is with particular joy that I receive you, who represent a Missionary Religious Family in the Church dedicated to evangelization. I greet you all with affection, beginning with the Superior General, elected a short while ago, and his new Council. You are here for the General Chapter in the year in which you celebrate the bicentenary of your foundation, by the work of Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a young priest desirous of responding to a call of the Spirit. At the beginning of its history, your Congregation endeavoured to rekindle the faith that the French Revolution was extinguishing in the heart of the poor of the countryside of Provence, overwhelming also many ministers of the Church. In the course of a few decades, it spread in the five continents, continuing the path initiated by the Founder, a man who loved Jesus passionately and the Church unconditionally.
Today you are called to renew this twofold love, recalling the 200 years of life of your Religious Institute. By a happy and providential coincidence, this Jubilee of yours is inserted in the Jubilee of Mercy. And, in fact, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate were born of an experience of mercy, lived by the young Eugene on a Good Friday, before Jesus crucified. May mercy be always the heart of your mission, of your evangelizing commitment in the world of today. On the day of his canonization, Saint John Paul II described Father Mazenod as a “man of Advent,” docile to the Holy Spirit in reading the signs of the times and seconding God’s work in the history of the Church. May these characteristics be present in you, his sons. You must also be “men of Advent,” capable of gathering the signs of new times and guiding brothers on the paths that God opens in the Church and in the world.
Together with the whole world, the Church is living a time of great transformations, in the most diverse fields. It is in need of men who bear in their heart the same love for Jesus that dwelt in the heart of young Eugene de Mazenod, and the same unconditional love for the Church, which makes an effort to be ever more an open house. It is important to work for a Church that is for all; a Church that is ready to receive and accompany! The work to do is vast to realize all this; and you also have your specific contribution to make.
Your missionary history is the history of so many consecrated persons, who offered and sacrificed their life for the mission, for the poor, to reach distant lands where there were still “sheep without a shepherd.” Today, every land is “mission land,” every dimension of the human is mission land, which awaits the proclamation of the Gospel. Pope Pius XI defined you “the specialists of difficult missions.” Today the mission field seems to widen every day, always embracing new poor, men and women of the face of Christ who ask for help, consolation, hope in the most desperate situations of life. Therefore, there is need of you, of your missionary daring, of your readiness to take to all the Good News that frees and consoles.
May the joy of the Gospel shine first of all on your face, may it render you joyful witnesses. Following the example of the Founder, may charity among you be the first rule of life, the premise of every apostolic action; and may zeal for the salvation of souls be the natural consequence of this fraternal charity.
During these days of Chapter works, you have widened your gaze and heart to the dimensions of the world. May this fraternal experience of prayer, encounter and communal discernment be the stimulus for a new missionary impetus, point of departure for new horizons, to encounter new poor, to bring them together with you to encounter Christ the Redeemer. It is necessary to seek appropriate evangelical and courageous answers to the questions of the men and women of our time. Therefore, it is necessary to look at the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion and to embrace the future with hope, without allowing yourselves to be discouraged by the difficulties you meet in the mission, but strong in fidelity to your religious and missionary vocation.
While your Religious Family enters in the third century of life, may the Lord grant you to write new evangelically fruitful pages, as those of your fellow missionaries that, in the past 200 years, witnessed, sometimes also with their blood, a great love for Christ and for the Church. You are Oblates of Mary Immaculate. May this name, described by Saint Eugene as “a passport for Heaven,” be for you a constant commitment in the mission. May Our Lady support your steps, especially in trying moments. I ask you, please, to pray to her also for me. May my Blessing, which I impart to you and to your entire Congregation from my heart, accompany you always on your way.
[Original text: Italian] [Translation by ZENIT]
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Holy See to UN: Migration Forces Change, But Change Can Mean Growth by ZENIT Staff

While the issues causing forced migrations must be dealt with, it is also important to recall that the changes necessitated by migration — both in the migrants and in the receiving communities — don’t have to be seen as obstacles. They can be taken as opportunities for growth.
This was part of the message given at the United Nations on Wednesday by Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See.
He was addressing the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Third Committee, on Agenda Item 26 (a, b): Social Development (Youth, Ageing etc.)
Here is the text of his address:
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Madam Chair,
Let me congratulate you on your role as Chair of the Third Committee. My delegation looks forward to working constructively with the Committee during your tenure.
Madam Chair,
The United Nations report on the “World Social Situation 2016” reminds us that while poverty has declined dramatically across the world and people are healthier, more educated and better connected than ever before, progress remains uneven. More worrying still is the conclusion that social and economic inequalities persist and in many cases are increasing internationally.
Perhaps nowhere is this deterioration more apparent than in areas where protracted conflicts have become part of daily life. In too many corners of our world, children and youth are raised under the rules of war, rather than the rule of law. Lingering political and ethnic strife, persecution and mass atrocities, extreme poverty and rising inequalities force many to become refugees and migrants, displace countless individuals and destroy homes and properties. For the victims, there is no peace and security, no human rights and development and, in many cases, no one to turn to for help.
It is a basic right of every individual to remain in peace and enjoy the security that provides the foundation and stability needed for lasting social development. In Lesvos, Greece, Pope Francis called upon “all political leaders to employ every means to ensure that individuals and communities, including Christians, remain in their homelands and enjoy the fundamental right to live in peace and security.”
In this respect, the 2030 Agenda continues to show great promise in addressing the root causes that have led to the conflicts and crises that we currently face, making them less likely to happen again in the future. If achieved with full respect for human life and the dignity of every person, the 2030 Agenda would eradicate extreme poverty, reverse the trend of rising inequalities, stem environmental degradation, and lay the foundation for peaceful and inclusive societies in which the common good is truly shared together by everyone, leaving no one behind.
Madame Chair,
It is crucial that we address the needs of those forced to migrate. Unable to secure a regular and orderly way to migrate, they risk their lives in the hands of human smugglers and trafficking networks. If they are lucky enough to reach their intended or any destination, in many cases they are met with more hostility, fear, anxiety, racism and even xenophobia. In his remarks to the Joint Session of the US Congress, Pope Francis applied the Golden Rule in addressing large movements of refugees and migrants, saying, “In a word, if we want security, let us give security, if we want life, let us give life, if we want opportunities, let us give opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.” My delegation believes that this is not only the right thing to do; it is also the best practice.
The recently adopted New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants has set the stage for the fulfillment of a series of commitments and for the negotiation of several Global Compacts to face these challenges collectively. This Declaration and the Secretary General’s new global campaign to combat xenophobia are hopeful signs, but they require greater political will, cooperation and solidarity on the part of all to translate that hope into reality.
Pope Francis does not cease to remind us that at this moment in human history, marked by great movements of migration, the question of identity is not a secondary issue. Those who migrate are forced to change some of their most distinctive characteristics and, whether they like or not, even those who welcome them are also forced to change.3 The challenge before us is not to experience these changes as obstacles, but as opportunities for genuine human, social and spiritual growth, a growth which respects and promotes those values which make us ever more humane.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
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1 World Social Situation 2016: Leaving No One Behind —the Imperative of Inclusive Development, Note by the Secretariat (A/71/188), 25 July 2016
2 Joint Declaration of His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, of His Beatitude Ieronymos, Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece, and His Holiness Pope Francis, Mòria Refugee Camp, Lesvos (16 April 2016)
3 Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2016 (17 January 2016)
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Using Gene Drive and CRISPR Cas9 Techniques: Explosive Mix Could Affect Ecosystems by ZENIT Staff

By Lucía Gómez Tatay of the Bioethics Observatory of the Catholic University of Valencia
The question today is whether we should use the techniques of gene drive and CRISPR to alter natural populations. There are several risks that must be taken into account: the off-target effects, spread of genetic modifications and imbalance of ecosystems.
What is Gene Drive?
Gene drive consists of directing the biased inheritance of particular genes to alter entire populations. It mainly involves propagating a trait that is harmful for the species, for example a distorted sex ratio, reduced fertility or chemical sensitivity. During normal sexual reproduction, each of the two versions of a given gene have a 50% probability of being inherited. Gene drives are genetic systems that circumvent these traditional rules, hugely increasing the likelihood that the desired gene is transmitted to the offspring. This allows them to spread to all members of a population, even if they reduce the possibility that each individual organism will reproduce. This technique therefore constitutes a tool for curbing the transmission of insect-borne diseases, controlling the spread of invasive species or eliminating herbicide or pesticide resistance.
Gene Drive and CRISP-Cas9
Gene drive occurs in nature, but the idea of using gene drives to control populations of disease-carrying insects was first presented in the 1940s. Then, in 2003, Professor Austin Burt of Imperial College London proposed a new type of gene drive, based on the use of genes that give rise to enzymes that cut the genome of organisms at desired sites (endonucleases). This concept of gene drive is where the use of CRISPR-Cas9 comes in. CRISPR-Cas9 is a new gene editing technique that allows changes to be introduced in the genome efficiently, simply and very inexpensively (Click HERE to read an article on this technique). The combination of both techniques will allow almost any gene in any sexually-reproducing species to be altered, spreading the alterations produced through wild populations.
Implications
Although the debate on gene drive centred for some time on whether it was really possible for scientists to use artificial gene drives for the abovementioned applications, the emergence of CRISPR-Cas9 has meant that this prospect is no longer in doubt. The question today is whether we should use this technique to alter natural populations. There are several risks that must be taken into account: the off-target effects, spread of genetic modifications and imbalance of ecosystems.
First of all, the specificity of the gene drive must be tested, and the off-target effects considered. Any evidence of off-target effects represents a risk for its use. Since the gene drive continues to be fully functional in the mutated strain after it is created, the possibility of off-target mutations also remains, increasing with every generation. If there is any risk of gene flow between the target species and other species, then there is also a risk that the modified sequences could be transmitted, manifesting the negative trait in non-target organisms. It is therefore necessary to have a solid understanding of the gene flow networks related with the target species, and to fully understand the possible specificity limitations.
This technology could become a global threat for the conservation of species
Secondly, high dispersal capacity is a common trait for many invasive species, and the risk of long-distance dispersal is particularly high for species associated with human movement and trade. The spread of a harmful trait depends mainly in the capacity for dispersal of the target species. The dispersal of these traits through other populations would be extremely difficult to detect, reducing the ability and increasing the cost of biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of gene drives to unwanted areas.
Finally, the alteration of an entire population, or its complete eradication, could have drastic and unknown consequences for the ecosystem. The eradication of species could produce unwanted cascades that could represent a greater threat than that of the target species. For example, it could mean that other plagues emerge, or it could affect predators further up the food chain. Taking into account these problems, a regulated cost-benefit-risk analysis might be a prudent step forward.
There may be situations in which the risks identified above are minimal and the use of this technology for controlling invasive species is considered acceptable after a complete cost-benefit-risk analysis, while in many other cases the risks could be considered insurmountable.
Independently of how these biosecurity risks are perceived, without a regulatory framework that provides a mechanism to control these risks with clarity and transparency, this technology could become a global threat for the conservation of species. It is therefore urgent to establish regulations that regulate the biosecurity protocols to comply with, both in the laboratory and in field-scale trials.
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Love Awaits Our Thanks by Archbishop Francesco Follo

Roman rite
2 Kings 5.14 – 17; Ps 98; 2 Tim 2.8 to 13; Lk 17.11 – 19
Ambrosian Rite
1 Kings 17.6 – 16; Sal 4; Heb 13.1 – 8; Mt 10.40 – 42
Sixth Sunday after the martyrdom of St. John the Precursor
1) The healing of the leprosy of the heart.
Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem where he will have to face death to allow him and the whole of humanity to go into the heavenly promised “land”. In this “exodus” towards the City of Peace, where He will do the Passover (the passage of return to the Father, the passage from death to life), Jesus leaves nothing unvisited by his presence, nothing untouched by his holy hands and by his merciful gaze that heals body and soul.
In this journey to Jerusalem, south of the Holy Land, Jesus follows a geographically absurd path because he goes first north to Samaria and Galilee. He follows the map of the heart and goes to the town center through the suburbs, not geographically but existentially speaking. In fact, who was more peripheral of the lepers who are the living dead, especially at that time when they had to stay far away from contact with other people? They were condemned to the margins of life because infected and bearers of a contagious disease that made unclean.
The ten lepers represent the whole of humanity, poisoned by sin, condemned to death, and unable to make the journey of life. Jesus commands everyone (including us) to walk and to have the miracle of healing “ certified” by the priests, as prescribed by the Mosaic law.
However, it is not enough to obey and walk because a person must be aware of the gift received. Unfortunately, only one of the ten, a Samaritan (a person who, besides being kept away because of the disease, was despised by the others as heretic), goes back to Christ to thank him for the healing given to all. Thanks to this Eucharistic gesture (Eucharist means thanksgiving) he received the healing of the heart.
In this encounter between Jesus and the lepers, two are the key words: “piety” and “thank you”.
The invocation “Lord have mercy” or “Lord, have mercy on us sinners” introduces every Eucharistic celebration and it is the prayer that each of us addresses to the Lord at the beginning of the Mass.
The important thing is that the invocation “Lord have mercy” turns into a “thank you”. In this way we recognize fully that our misery needs mercy.
To the request to be accepted and loved in spite of our bad doing that is expressed with the invocation, “Please, Lord, save me” (Ps 115: 4), Christ responds with his infinite mercy, in which we are healed at a level higher than the one we ask. With today’s miracle, the Lord teaches us that there are two levels of healing: one, more superficial, concerns the body, the other and deeper touches the inside of each person, what the Bible calls “heart”, and from there spreads to the whole of existence. The health of the body is not against that of the heart, but the complete and radical healing is salvation that makes sure that the heart will not remain away from Christ.
Let’s keep in mind that salvation is the relationship with him, the source of life, and not the cleansing of leprosy because we would still get sick and die. Salvation is not simply being healed. Salvation is something else. It is not good health because this sooner or later will go away. Salvation is something else: it is communion with him, the return to him and glorification of God with a loud voice. Redemption is to be with Him, our Paradise. It is to be happy with the gift received and say loudly: “I love the Lord for he has heard my voice and my prayers. To me he turned his ear in the day when I called him “(Ps 115: 1-2). It is in the Eucharist that we live the trust and the encounter with him who loved us and saved us. Then, let’s go with gratitude to the source of our confidence, his love by which we can live.
2) We are saved thanks to our thank you.
The return (synonymous of conversion) of the cured leper was dictated by the gratitude to the Messiah who had healed. In this gesture we can also see the recognition of Christ as the High Priest to whom no longer the Mosaic Law, but the new law makes us go to have certified our recovered health. With “thank you” the invocation of compassion for the terrible disease that corrupts the body becomes experience of love and communion.
He is not only a healed leper, but a saved man.
This Samaritan sensed that going back to Jesus to glorify God has made accessible to him what before was forbidden: the Temple, the worship and the life of the Holy People.
This redeemed man, prompted by gratitude, approaches with full confidence the throne of Grace to receive mercy, find grace and be helped at the appropriate time (see Heb. 4: 15-16).
This man destroyed, despised, alone, and isolated experiences salvation. He is not only given back to a dignified life on earth, he receives also the Life that no longer passes.
The important thing is that we go to Christ begging mercy and saying “thank you”. We too then will have the experience of Jesus the healer and, above all, the Redeemer who saves the body and the heart.
It may seem paradoxical, but we can properly say that the healed leper (that is, each of us who has repented and is grateful) becomes the living proclamation of the Gospel of life.
For us the same thing could be done. If we implore pity and say grace, we become true Disciples of Christ and his faithful announcers.
This is the teaching of the last part of today’s gospel: Jesus praises the faith of the Samaritan leper and designates him as a herald of good tidings. These are entrusted to those who -thanks to faith – receive purification from the leprosy of sin and salvation of the soul, the redemption of the heart. Let’s pray with Romanus the Melodist: “In the same way in which you cleansed the leper by his infirmities, oh Almighty, heal the evil of our souls, you who are merciful, through the intercession of the Mother of God, physician of our souls, Friend of men and savior immune from sin “(Hymns, 23, Preface).
The Samaritan leper is each of us, sufferer from the leprosy of sin, cleansed by the forgiveness of the Messiah, who works in us a deep inner healing. For this, we are made true disciples of Jesus, the Savior of the world.
The magnitude of the Samaritan was to put not only his heath but all his life in the hands of the Lord.
At this point we can ask ourselves what prompted the cured man to surrender himself to Christ with a heart glad and full of gratitude. We can even ask a similar question, valid for less dramatic situations: “What drives the consecrated virgins in the world to put their lives at the feet of Christ, the bridegroom, so that He can do with them what pleases him?” It can only be the same profound certainty that animated the heart of Mary in front of the announcement of the Angel at Nazareth and up to the Cross in Jerusalem, that gave strength to St Joseph faced with the task that God entrusted him, and that supported the Apostles before the martyrdom: the compassion that God has bent over us, the Lord’s Mercy that has come here on earth and took on a human face. Christ is our only true Good and He wants nothing more than our good. For this He was born and died. For this He is risen and is here, present in the Eucharist. For this we can surrender ourselves to Him completely. For this we can go to Him, kneeling supplicant, and put in His Will all our lives to be told again: “I love you.”
May the surrendering of the consecrated virgins be our everyday simple and transferable example to tie trust in Jesus, who, by his holy and pure love, communicates purity and healing. In our everyday life, we experience that healing begins when we know that we can count on someone who wants our good, is close to us, and is willing to bear our evil, be it illness or sin.
The radical compassion lived by Christ, asks each of us to wonder about our ability to stay close to those who feel unclean and sick. How can we forget that, just the day he decided to embrace a leper, Francis of Assisi understood the whole of Christianity and began his journey to become “very similar to Jesus” to the point of being like him “physically” receiving the stigmata?
Jesus is the holiness that burns all our sins and the life that heals our diseases, but his service to men has a high price. He can no longer go openly into the villages but is forced to stay in desert places and to live the situation that was before of the leper. Jesus cures and heals others at the price of assuming upon himself their evil. The Latin text of Isaiah’s prophecy about the Servant of the Lord says among other things: “We considered him like a leper” (Is 53,4b). Jesus, the Servant, the Messiah, the Savior, has become for us as a leper to heal our leprosy in the body and in the spirit! On the cross he will have wounds like a leper, but we can fix our gaze on him in the sure hope of being healed and with the certitude of the compassion of the one who “took upon himself our sufferings and our evils” (Is 53,4a)
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Patristic Reading
Golden Chain on Lc 17,11-19
AMBROSE; After speaking the foregoing parable, our Lord censures the ungrateful;
TITUS BOST. saying, And it came to pass, showing that the Samaritans were indeed well disposed towards the mercies above mentioned, but the Jews not so. For there was enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans, and He to allay this, passed into the midst of both nations, that he might cement both into one new man (Ep 2,14).
CYRIL; The Savior next manifests His glory by drawing over Israel to the faith. As it follows, And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, men who were banished from the towns and cities, and counted unclean, according to the rites of the Mosaic law.
TITUS BOST. They associated together from the sympathy they felt as partakers of the same calamity, and were waiting till Jesus passed, anxiously looking out to see Him approach. As it is said, Which stood afar off, for the Jewish law esteems leprosy unclean, whereas the law of the Gospel calls unclean not the outward, but the inward leprosy.
THEOPHYL. They therefore stand afar off as if ashamed of the uncleanness which was impaled to them, thinking that Christ would loathe them as others did. Thus they stood afar off, but were made nigh to Him by their prayers. For the Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him in truth (Ps 145,18). Therefore it follows, And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy upon us.
TITUS BOST. They pronounce the name of Jesus, and gain to themselves the reality. For Jesus is by interpretation Savior. They say, Have mercy upon us, because they were sensible of His power, and sought neither for gold and silver, but that their bodies might put on again a healthful appearance.
THEOPHYL. They do not merely supplicate or entreat Him as if He were a man, but they call Him Master or Lord, as if almost they looked upon Him as God. But He bids them show themselves to the priests, as it follows, And when he saw them, he said, Go, show yourselves to the priests. For they were examined whether they were cleansed from their leprosy or not.
CYRIL; The law also ordered, that those who were cleansed from leprosy should offer sacrifice for the sake of their purification.
THEOPHYL. Therefore in bidding them go to the priests he meant nothing more than that they were just about to be healed; and so it follows, And it came to pass that as they went they were healed.
CYRIL; Whereby the Jewish priests who were jealous of His glory might know that it was by Christ granting them health that they were suddenly and miraculously healed.
THEOPHYL. But out of the ten, the nine Israelites were ungrateful, whereas the Samaritan stranger returned and lifted up his voice in thanksgiving, as it follows, And one of them turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God.
TITUS BOST. When he found that he was cleansed, he had boldness to draw near, as it follows, And fell down on his face at his feet giving him thanks. Thus by his prostration and prayers shelving at once both his faith and his gratitude. It follows, And he was a Samaritan.
THEOPHYL. We may gather from this that a man is not one whit hindered from pleasing God because he comes from a cursed race, only let him bear in his heart an honest purpose. Further, let not him that is born of saints boast himself, for the nine who were Israelites were ungrateful; and hence it follows, And Jesus answering him said, Were there not ten cleansed?
TITUS BOST. Wherein it is shown, that strangers were more ready to receive the faith, but Israel was slow to believe; and so it follows, And he said to him, Arise, go your way, your faith has made you whole.
AUG. The lepers may be taken mystically for those who, having no knowledge of the true faith, profess various erroneous doctrines. For they do not conceal their ignorance, but brazen it forth as the highest wisdom, making a vain show of it with boasting words. But since leprosy is a blemish in color, when true things appear clumsily mixed up with false in a single discourse or narration, as in the color of a single body, they represent a leprosy streaking and disfiguring as it were with true and false dyes the color of the human form. Now these lepers must be so put away from the Church, that being as far removed as possible, they may with loud shouts call upon Christ. But by their calling Him Teacher (cf. Mt 8,2 Mc 1 Lc 5,12), I think it is plainly implied that leprosy is truly the false doctrine which the good teacher may wash away. Now we find that of those upon whom our Lord bestowed bodily mercies, not one did He send to the priests, save the lepers, for the Jewish priesthood was a figure of that priesthood which is in the Church. All vices our Lord corrects and heals by His own power working inwardly in the conscience, but the teaching of infusion by means of the Sacrament, or of catechizing by word of mouth, was assigned to the Church. And as they went, they were cleansed; just as the Gentiles to whom Peter came, having not yet received the sacrament of Baptism, whereby we come spiritual to the priests, are declared cleansed by the infusion of the Holy Spirit. Whoever then follows true and sound doctrine in the fellowship of the Church, proclaiming himself to be free from the confusion of lies, as it were a leprosy, yet still ungrateful to his Cleanser does not prostrate himself with pious humility of thanksgiving, is like to those of whom the Apostle says, that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, nor were thankful. Such then will remain in the ninth number as imperfect. For the nine need one, that by a certain form of unity they may be cemented together, in order to become ten. But he who gave thanks was approved of as a type of the one only Church. And since these were Jews, they are declared to have lost through pride the kingdom of heaven, wherein most of all unity is preserved. But the man who was a Samaritan, which is by interpretation “guardian,” giving back to Him who gave it that which he had received, according to the Psalm, My strength will I preserve for you (Ps 58), has kept the unity of the kingdom with humble devotion.
BEDE; He fell upon his face, because he blushes with shame when he remembers the evils he had committed. And he is commended to rise and walk, because he who, knowing his own weakness, lies lowly on the ground, is led to advance by the consolation of the divine word to mighty deeds. But if faith made him whole, who hurried himself back to give thanks, therefore does unbelief destroy those who have neglected to give glory to God for mercies received. Wherefore that we ought to increase our faith by humility, as it is declared in the former parable, so in this is it exemplified in the actions themselves.
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Is Sport Good for Humanity? by ZENIT Staff

(From Vatican Radio)
The first-ever global conference on faith and sport took place this week at the Vatican.
For three days, representatives from the sporting world – athletes and competitors at all levels and of all ages and abilities – along with coaches, owners, managers, corporate sponsors and experts in fields ranging from sports medicine and psychology to training, discipline, education and formation, gathered together in the Vatican for discussions with leaders from the world’s great religious traditions to discuss how sport can be at the service of humanity.
The conference organizers and sponsors – especially the Pontifical Council for Culture under its Cardinal-President, Gianfranco Ravasi – and founding partner, Allianz, hope over the long term successfully to foster a worldwide movement that will enrich lives by helping people, through sport, to build trust and learn cooperation, foster friendship, live healthy lives, and have fun.
As a first incarnation of this vision, Allianz has encouraged the creation of the Humanity Sports Club – Humanity SC – to act initially as a motor for the nascent movement.
The goal of the conference itself has been to unite people from every faith, nationality and culture through sport, in a common goal: to help the ones who need it most, especially the marginalized and the disadvantaged, and to encourage everyone to develop life skills, character, common values, and increase their capacity for the enjoyment of life itself.
The Preamble to the Sport at the Service of Humanity’s Declaration of Principles states participants’ common commitment to the idea that sport has the power to celebrate our common humanity, regardless of faith, race, culture, beliefs, gender and ability.
“Sport,” the Preamble continues, “can bring us together – to meet one another across borders and boundaries, to learn to compete as friends, to respect and trust one another even in opposition.”
“Sport has the power to teach positive values and enrich lives,” the Preamble goes on to say, adding that everyone who plays, organises and supports sport, has the opportunity to be transformed by it and to transform others.
Participants in the conference are further called to particular solicitude for all those, who are deprived of sport through lack of opportunity, prejudice, or vested interest. “We have a responsibility to help and share its benefits,” they say.
This was a keystone of Pope Francis’ remarks to participants at the conference’s opening ceremony on Wednesday, October 5th.
“I wish to encourage all of you – institutions, sporting societies, educational and social organisations, religious communities – to work together to ensure these children can take up sport in circumstances of dignity, especially those who are excluded due to poverty,” he said.
In addition to Pope Francis, the opening ceremony featured brief speeches from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, IOC president Thomas Bach, and Allianz CEO Oliver Bäte.
Sport at the Service of Humanity’s First Global Conference on Sport and Faith, ran from October 5th-7th here at the Vatican, and was organized by the Pontifical Council for Culture with the cooperation of the UN and the IOC, with the generous support of SSH Founding Partner Allianz.
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On ZENIT’s Web page:
Full text of Francis’ address: https://zenit.org/articles/popes-address-to-sport-at-the-service-of-humanity-conference/
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Holy See to UN: Only ‘Culture of Encounter’ Can Be Lasting Remedy to Terrorism by ZENIT Staff

Noting that the Church educates some 50 million primary and secondary school children around the world, the Holy See’s delegation at the UN emphasized that education and forming a culture of encounter are necessary in order to remedy the crime of terrorism.
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See, said this Wednesday when he addressed the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sixth Committee, on Agenda Item 108: Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism.
Here is the text of his address:
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Mr. Chair,
At the outset, let me congratulate you on your election as Chair of the Sixth Committee. My delegation looks forward to collaborate with you during this session.
Mr. Chair,
The Holy See wishes to remember the victims of terrorism as well as those communities and individuals who continue to suffer due to terrorism. Their memory and pain must give a renewed sense of urgency and momentum to the important work of this Committee.
The Holy See’s condemnation of terrorism is absolute: there are no ideological, political, philosophical, racial, ethnic, or religious reasons to justify or excuse it. Terrorism violates fundamental human dignity and rights; the terrorists disdain for life and fundamental freedoms, their unspeakable crimes against women and girls, and the utter barbarity of their acts cannot leave us indifferent.
Terrorism can only be countered by more cohesive measures at the international level. As terror knows no border, the international community as a whole must deny terrorists access to cyber technologies to recruit new adherents from many parts of the world, finance their activities and coordinate terror attacks. No one should be permitted to finance or to provide arms and ammunition to terrorists. Those who abet violent extremism or shelter members of terrorist groups must be held accountable before a court of law. Similarly, all violations of international humanitarian law and crimes against humanity committed by terror groups must be vigorously pursued.
On the other hand, all measures to combat terrorism must scrupulously respect human rights and international humanitarian law. In this regard, the recent decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in the Al-Dulimi case and of the Court of Justice of the European Communities in the Kadi case deserve a close study.
Moreover, there can be no conflict between the effective implementation of measures to contrast terrorism and the provision of humanitarian assistance, directed to protect the fundamental human rights to life and health. Thus, the contrast of terrorist activities should not inhibit nor limit the capacity of governmental, non-governmental and religiously-inspired organizations to provide humanitarian aid to vulnerable groups or persons, such as emergency relief to refugees and displaced persons and medical services to the wounded.
Mr. Chair,
Measures to counter terrorism must address those social and political conflicts that fuel violence or deepen hatred among the various communities. In effect, the persecution of social or national groups, deep social injustices, the violation of fundamental rights and freedoms, ethnic and religious discrimination, as well as gaping social and economic inequalities create the conditions that may foster radicalization. Pope Francis has emphasized that, whenever justice and the common good are violated, violence always ensues.1 Thus, all governments should engage with civil society to address the challenges faced by those individuals and communities most at risk of radicalization and recruitment, with a view to fostering their social integration.
The fight against terrorism begins with the hearts and minds of those young people who are most vulnerable to radicalization and ideological brainwashing. Education thus plays a crucial role in the prevention of terrorism. In this regard, the Catholic Church is privileged to be entrusted each year with the education of around fifty million primary and secondary school children worldwide and millions more at the tertiary level. This education is offered as a service for the children and the young of all faiths and no faith, and from every economic stratum, with a particular preference for those whose educational opportunities are limited or even non-existent. In performing this service, Catholic educational institutions strengthen societies by forming responsible and peace-loving citizens.
Furthermore, religious leaders must take the lead in rejecting the narratives and ideologies that engender radicalization, hatred and extremism. Religions must unite in confronting all forms of religious bigotry, stereotyping and disrespect for what people hold sacred. It is therefore a primary duty of religious leaders to refute and denounce the tendentious ideologies of terror purportedly inspired by religious injunctions or texts.
Pope Francis continues to advocate the practice of encounter, of dialogue, of building bridges as antidotes to radicalization and extremist violence. Refusal to dialogue is in fact one of the defining characteristics of fundamentalism. The Holy See believes therefore that, no matter how grave the threats that terrorism poses to our collective security, any effective, lasting response to this crime cannot be achieved solely through military and security means, but rather through a culture of encounter that fosters mutual acceptance and promotes peaceful and inclusive societies.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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1 Laudato Si’ 159.
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